I've been a busy boy

[Russell]

Take a look at what I've been up to the last three days!











I pulled my wooden bed liner minus the floor (I wasn't joking saying that you can only see plywood from beneith up, lol) got about 1/2 my bedside in primer, and pulled the running boards

Its so weird getting into the truck without the boards, lol ,long ways up! The brackets come off tommorow during mechanics.

That primer is the fruit of three days worth of sanding. There are a couple of holes in the primer where I burnt through it, but that isn't such a big problem, just reprime and keep on sanding.

Tommorow I pull the dent out of that bedside, and keep working on getting that whole fender in primer. I've been taking all the paint off the fenders, then priming it up. There have not been any surprises under the fenders yet, just good old rock solid steel. I'll be cutting out the wheel wells when I get some patch panels for them. I also plan to get a set of bumperettes for the front bumper, and to repaint my wheels back to a nice bright white

Whatcha guys think?

[Russell]

One more thing...

Is it illegal to drive without a rear bumper if you have teh plate bolted to the bed?

I may want to pull a TIMSPEED for a couple of days and go bumperless so I can get at the back of those bedsides where they wrap behind the bumper with my grinder and sander...

[bigblock73]

Looking good so far Russ.

A couple things to remember. When sanding away rust, it will more than likely return because it will be embedding in the pitted metal. The only sure way to remove rust and keep it away is to have the metal blasted or replaced. Also, do you plan to cover the primer with paint? Primer is like a sponge, it will absorb water, which will lead to rust. Not trying to rain on your parade, but I have been there before.

As far as the bumper goes...here in MN you do not need a bumper, but you do need to have a rear license pate light at night..I got a "fix it" ticket once because mine were burnt out.

Good luck on the project, keep us posted.

BYW, I really dig nice bright white steel wheels with caps...gives it a classic and simple sort of look.

[Russell]

Yeah, I bought some primer that also resists rust, and I have not gone over any rust that had any pitting, those places where I did will be cut out and replaced soon enough anyways (around the wheel wells)

The rest of the rust was surface only, and I am very picky about getting ALL the rust out, I mean, I make sure that there isn't a spot of rust left before I shoot the primer on.

When I finish, I'll either go to the Royal Bank of Dad to buy some paint, or wax the primer

I'm thinking I'll just stick the plate behind my head in the back window, and stick a small light there or something. I ran without license plate lights for like 5 months without a problem, it is actually uncommon to see a vehicle around here of my truck's vintage that actually has working plate lights, lol

[Lynx]

On both my tucks the plate lights didnt work and i didnt get any tickets.... however up here the cops do 2 things: Speeding tickets and Coke busts! Just call the local attachmet and they will tell you the local law.

Looking good by the way!

Ohh and it looks WAY better without the old running boards!

[TIMSPEED]

Originally posted by Russell
I may want to pull a TIMSPEED for a couple of days and go bumperless so I can get at the back of those bedsides where they wrap behind the bumper with my grinder and sander...

Haha, in California, it's legal for TRUCK'S to not have rear bumpers OR tailgates! Also, doesn't matter where the rear plate is, as long as it's got a light on it.

[Russell]

Yeah, I did some looking into it, its perfectly legal for me to have no rear bumper, tailgate, just so long as I have the plate in visible sight with a light on it

[Blue Beard]

It's funny how in some states you are required to have rear bumpers....yet new trucks don't come with a rear bumper...

[Low87on20s]

Originally posted by Blue Beard
It's funny how in some states you are required to have rear bumpers....yet new trucks don't come with a rear bumper...

My 2004 has a rear bumper

[N2TRUX]

Russel it's looking better. I guess we southern guys take rust free trucks for granted. Stay with it and you'll have a solid truck ....someday

Originally posted by Blue Beard
It's funny how in some states you are required to have rear bumpers....yet new trucks don't come with a rear bumper...

Since when? I haven't seen a new truck without a bumper for a long time....

[8t5Silverado]

I have been curious about the bumper thing as well.

If it is illegal to not have a bumper, then does a rollpan count or is it illegal too?

[Russell]

Well, I yarded the bumper off, I'm happy I did too -- half the bolts broke with little effort on my part...

I still gotta take the rest of the bumper brackets off, and the running board brackets.

My shop teacher figures that I am doing a good job on the bedside too He was a bodyman for a couple of years, so thats good to hear, lol

I'll get some pics of the the truck bumperless and bracketless tonight before I head off to volunteer at the mustard seed (soup kitchen for the homeless)

[Russell]

Well, I yarded the bumper off, I'm happy I did too -- half the bolts broke with little effort on my part...

I still gotta take the rest of the bumper brackets off, and the running board brackets.

My shop teacher figures that I am doing a good job on the bedside too He was a bodyman for a couple of years, so thats good to hear, lol

I'll get some pics of the the truck bumperless and bracketless tonight before I head off to volunteer at the mustard seed (soup kitchen for the homeless)